It’s caught us off guard too, where did 2021 go and how is the holiday season already at our doorstep??
So much to do before Christmas; the excitement is real, we can all look forward to some precious downtime. Time with family, friends, loved ones, or time where we can get away from it all and unplug.
If you are like us and are only just starting to get your festive season plans underway, never fear, we have some helpful tips to give you ideas on where to go, what to remember and how to get it done effectively, hopefully with a little less stress.

1. PLANNING THE AT-HOME ANNUAL GET-TOGETHER
You’re organizing the annual festive celebration at your house; the to-do list is getting out of control, and you still need to invite everyone. You know the details but haven’t pulled it all together to give your guests. You also just remembered there are items you were hoping they could prepare. Insert sigh…
We hear you, but don’t freak out; there is a simple solution to all of this madness. Smylee is your ultimate event planner where you can combine all this and more and is super easy to use. Invite your friends, create your event, add all the details, and off you go. Smylee will send out the invites, let you know when people have RSVP’d, send reminders, and the best of all, you can allocate different tasks or items to people rather than having to SMS everyone individually. Give it a go. You will thank us!

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2. WRITE A TO-DO LIST
We all are guilty of this…. Yes, I’ll write my to-do list tomorrow; I just need to get this one thing done first. Before we know it, another week has passed, and we are kicking ourselves because those top ten things we know we should get done are still sitting in our heads and have not actually come to fruition.
So here is your conscious talking, get out the pen and paper, do it on your phone, whatever works, but write that list. The old saying goes, when you write it, you manifest it, and the energy starts to flow. Let’s start ticking off those goals and have some fun along the way.

3. TAKE A ROAD TRIP!
Okay, so you ticked off the Christmas Day get-together, a great day, by the way, because you were so efficiently planned and are now slightly exhausted from having the event of the year. So why not grab the besties, your partner and ditch the everyday life for a few days, maybe a week, and hit the road to disconnect!
Hire a van; if that’s not your vibe, hit up a convertible and take a trip down Route 66 or along the East Coast of Australia. Take in the fresh air, go for a hike, get outdoors, and amongst nature. Your future self will thank you for it, and best yet, you will be ready to tackle 2022 with a clear head.
Here are some of our favorites the get the inspiration started!

4. CONNECT WITH THE BESTIES
This year has been full-on; whether you’re working, studying, taking the next leap in your career, or just owning those life goals, we are all navigating the journey.
Sometimes we forget to take that time out, catch up with those that mean the most to us, BUT we love the festive season right because it’s a great reminder to kick up those feet and enjoy some time with the besties.
Head out for a picnic, spend a day at the beach, dust off those dancing shoes (ours are in the basement somewhere), and just let it all go. Connect with that inner child!
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5. GIVE BACK TO SOMEONE IN NEED
On a more serious note, December is the month of giving, of making people feel valued and loved. So, what better time than to consider if you can give back by helping a stranger, someone around you, or maybe it’s giving a donation to one of your favorite causes.
There are so many who may not share the same festive happiness that others can. It only takes one small step to make an enormous difference, so we encourage each of you who can take some time out for others during this festive period to do so.
If you are planning your event in Smylee, don’t forget the feature of being able to ‘donate anyway’ to the cause that you have chosen. It’s a simple way to add giving to your get-together and give your guests the option to donate too.
Well, there you have it, five of our top suggestions to get you started in making the most out of your festive season! Here’s hoping this has helped you to kickstart the planning or given you other ideas to think about to close out the holiday season.
We’re a social bunch at Smylee and would love to hear from you! Got a suggestion of what we should write about next? Head on over to our socials or comment below to let us know.
PS if you decide to take us up on one of our recommendations, don’t forget to hashtag #SmyleeSnaps in your pics so that we can see them!